Friday, May 27, 2011

A man and a child came toward me on the trail this morning, the child on a bike and the man on something strange. A stand-up bike? A bike with running boards? Actually, an ElliptiGO outdoor elliptical bicycle. I'm sure it's exercise, no idea if it's any fun.

ElliptiGO on YouTube

I saw two dead chipmunks on the trail this morning. That's unusual because chipmunks taken by predators don't land on the trail and road-kill chipmunks are quickly scattered aside by the traffic. It's clear why they were there, though, as two other very lively chipmunks did their best to run under my skates.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Moist, mashed, maple litter makes for some slippery spots, especially from Bedford Street to I-95. The adjoining forest in that stretch is a double threat, both providing the litter of flowers and seeds and keeping the sun from drying the shaded trail. I found the slipperiness most hazardous on the inbound (eastbound) side. That's not because there's more of it on one side or the other, but because inbound is uphill in that section and pushing harder means more exposure to slips.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

A runner coming towards me today had one hand on her jogging stroller, the other one holding a tissue to her nose. The next runner I passed going my way gave a little two-part throat-clearing cough with every breath. And these are the people who feel well enough to go out.